Heat hold morning shootaround at Shane Battier’s high school

A quick look-in at Miami's practice at Detroit Country Day's middle school gym. (Post photo)

Every now and then, the Heat veer from conventional practice sites. This morning was one of those times.
With the team staying in Detroit and getting ready to play the Pistons in Auburn Hills, Mich., Miami opted to practice at Detroit Country Day School in Beverly Hills, Mich. The significance? That is Shane Battier’s alma mater.

Battier in his high school days. (DCD photo)

“I love it,” he said. “It’s nostalgic. I’ve been here a couple times with the Rockets. It gets me nostalgic every time I come back. This is where it all started. School started at 8 o’clock and I remember getting here at 7 o’clock every day in my tie and my khakis in the gym shooting and sweating and stinking in first period. Some great memories here. Met my wife here. It’s really cool to be back.”

It is especially significant for Battier, who pointed out that this is “probably my last trip to Detroit” as an NBA player.

“LeBron is cool and all but this is the one place I have more pull,” he said.

Miami coach Erik Spoelstra, on the venue: “I’ve been trying to get this organized for the last year and a half to get out here. It’s more convenient for us, No. 1, and when we can do something like this for a player, I think it’s always fun. He made a very definitive point that this is not the gym that he built. This is the middle school gym. The gym he played in has their three championship banners from his sophomore year to senior year.”

Below is a video clip of Battier playing for DCD in the 1997 Michigan state championship game. He won three state titles at the school.